Removable tread for heels.



R. STEINPAGH.

REMOVABLE TREAD FOB. HEELS.

APPLICATION IILED JULY 2, 1912.

1,074,070. Patented Sept. 23, 1913.

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' Jflainey RAP" C0.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

RICHARD STEINPAGH, 0F VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

REMOVABLE TBEAD FOB HEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 23, 1913.

App1ication filed July 2, 1912. Serial No. 707,156.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD S'rnrNrAoI-I, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at Vienna, in the Province of Lower Austria and Empire of Austria-Hungary, have invented a new and useful Removable Tread for Heels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for removably connecting a tread or top lift of leather, rubber or metal, to the heels of boots, shoes and the like, and it is the object of the invention to provide fastening means which will withstand any strain resulting from normal use, which can be easily removed and does not mar the appearance of the boot or shoe.

In carrying out the invention metallic plates having a flange or rim extending around the edges are secured to the heel and the tread, the flange of the tread plate being adapted to snugly fit into the flange of the heel plate and both flanges interlocked at a number of points. The rearmost portion of the flange of the heel plate is provided with a lip adapted to engage in a seat or pocket between the tread and its cover plate. The front portion of the flange of the heel plate is provided with slots to receive locking bolts or catches engaging in seats or pockets in the tread plate. To retain said belts in position the central bolt is split lengthwise to form two resilient bars, the outer edges of which are provided with notches in which engage teeth projecting downwardly from the heel plate and passing through slots in the tread plate.

In the drawing accompanying and form ing a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a top view of the tread and its cover plate. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the tread and its cover plate. Fig. 3 is a view looking at the bottom of the heel provided with its plate. Fig. I is a frontelevation of the heel with its plate. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the bolt or catch to lock the tread to the heel. Fig. 6 is a top view of a rubber tread without its plate. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a rubber tread without the cover plate. Fig. 8 is a view looking at the bottom of the heel to illustrate the interlocking of the tread and heel plates with the slide catch inserted in the seats; and Fig. 9 is a vertical section of the heel and tread taken on the line 99 of Fig. 8.

Similar characters of reference designate like parts throughout the different views of the drawing.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawing, a sheet steel plate (1, shown in Figs. 1, 2, S and 9, is preferably so made as to permit of its being secured to a leather tread Z), or to a rubber tread c, or to a metal tread for use in mountaineering. The plate is secured to a leather or metal tread by screws engaging in holes (Z. To attach the plate to a rubber tread it is provided with a series of slots 6 to receive sheet metal strips f, the lower ends of which strips are embedded in the rubber tread c, and the free ends adapted to pass through the slots 6 in the plate a, and then folded or bent down against said plate. The tread plate a is also provided with a flange or rim 9 extending around its edge which snugly fits into a flange or rim it of a sheet steel cover plate 2' fastened to the heel proper. The rearmost portion of the rim h of the heel plate is pro vided with an inwardly projecting lip j adapted to enter a correspondingly shaped seat or socket it formed in the plate a; if desired said pocket may be formed directly in the tread Z). The tread is fastened or keyed on the heel by a sliding catch or bolt, comprising a central prong split lengthwise into two flat springy bars Z, Z, forming substantially a fork, and two auxiliary belts or tongues 71. carried by a transverse head m. The flange h of the heel plate 11, has a slot 0 in the front portion for the passage of the main bolt Z, Z and on opposite sides of the slot 0 are slots 7) for the passage of the tongues n. The tread plate a. has stamped into it a hollow rib g to form a longitudinal channel for the reception of the bars Z, Z of the bolt or key, and on opposite sides of said rib are hollow ribs 1- in which the auxiliary belts or tongues n engage. The ribs 1' are considerably longer than is required to permit of the entering of the auxiliary bolts a, but these ribs are also designed to and serve as stiffening supports for the heel plate i and partially fill the hollow space between both plates a and i. To maintain the bolts or key in position downwardly projecting teeth .9, shown as four in number, are stamped out from the heel plate 11, and the hollow rib g is provided with two longitudinal slots t through which the said teeth 8 project. The outer edges of the bar Z, Z of the belt or key have notches u the end walls of which notches incline from the outer edge inwardly. When the bolt or key is pushed in the inclined walls of the notches adjacent the free ends of the bar Z, Z entering between the first pair of teeth 8 force the bars together and permit them to slide between said teeth until the first pair of-notches u reach the teeth, when the bars Z, Z spring apart and the notches engage the teeth. By pushing the bolt farther into the recess 9, the bars Z, Z are, under the actionofthe inclined ends of the notches u, again forced together and the bolt is advanced until the second pair of notches engage theteeth 8. Similar action takes place when the holtisdra-wn out From the foregoing description it will be seen that the boltonly secures the front'edge of the tread, and that by the cooperation of the notches u and teeth 8 the bolt is locked in position'and prevented from accidentally slipping out. At the rear end of the hollow rib 9 there is a transverse slot '0 through which the free-ends of the bars Z, Zextend, as shown in Fig. 8, and should'the tread be accidentally lost the bolt willnot drop and interfere with walking,

I claim 1. The combination with the heel and tread of boots or shoes, of sheet metal plates secured to the heel andtread having flanges at the edges adapted to interengage and the tread plate having longiti'idinal hollow ribs, and means cooperating with the interengaging flange of the heel'plate and the treadplateri'bs tolock the plates together and thereby the tread to'the heel;

'2. The combination with the heel and tread of" boots or shoes, ofp'lates secured to the heel and tread having" flanges at the edges adapted to snugly fit together, and the tread plate having longitudinal-hollow ribs,

and a'key cooperating with theflang'e of the heel-plate and the ribs of the treadplate to releasably sedure the plates together andthereby the treadtothe heel;

3. The combination with the heel'of boots or shoes, of a tread; plates secured to the heel and tread, each plate having a flange ezrt'ending a'rou'nd'its lateral edge with the flange of the tread plate adapted to snugly fit into the flange of theheel plate; min

wardly projecting lip at the rearmost portionof the heelplate flange; arecess'in the rearmost portion of the "tread plate in which said lip is adapted to engage; slots-v cut through the-front portion of the'heel plate flange; longitudinal hollow ribs in the tread plates corresponding with the latter slots; and keys adapted to enter through said slots and cooperate with said ribs to" lock the plates together and thereby the tread to the heel, substantially as and for the purpose specified;

4. The combination with't-he heel of-bootsor shoes; of a tread; plate's' secured to theheel and tread each plate having a flange extending around its edge with the flange of the tread plate adapted to snugly fit into the flange of theheel plate; an inwardly projecting lip at the rearmost portion of the heel plate flange; a recess in the rear- :most portion of the tread plate'in which; I said lip is adapted to engage; parallel slots fcut through the front portion of the heel plate flange; parallel longitudinal hollow ribs in the tread plate, the front ends of which are open and adapted to register with the slots in the heel-plate flange, and

the central rib having'a pair of parallel slots; connected bolts or keys adapted to enter through said slots and cooperate with said ribs to lock the plates together and thereby the tread to the heel; and means to lock the keys in position, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5; The combination with the heel of bootsor shoes, of a tread; plates secured to the heel and tread, each plate havinga flange extending around its edge with the flange of the tread plate adapted to snugly fit into the flange of the heel plate; an inwardlyprojecting hp at the rearinost portion of the heel plate flange; a recess in the tread plate in which said lip is adapted to en gage; parallel slots cut through the front portion of the heel plate flange; longitudi= nal hollow ribsin the, treadplate the front ends of which are open and adapted to register with the slots in the heel plate flange, and one rib having a pair of parallel slots; bolts adapted to enter through said. slots and cooperate withsaid ribs to lock the plates togetherand thereby the tread to the heel, the bolt engaging-in the ribhaving the slots split longitudinally'to provide a pair of resilient prongs; and means to lock the keys in position,

prongs, teeth projecting down from the heel plate adapted to pass through theslots in the rib and adapted to engage in said notches 6. The combination withthe heel of boots or shoes, of a tread; plates secured to the heel andtread, each plate having a: flange extending around its edge with the flange of the tread plate adapted to snugly fit intoribs in" the tread" plate the front ends of' which are open and adapted to register Withthe slots in theheel plate flange, and one rib having a pairof parallel slots; connected.

keys adapted to enter through said slots and cooperate with said ribs to lock: the plates together and thereby the tread to comprising 7 notches 1n the outeredges of the resllientthe heel, the key engaging in the rib having the slots split longitudinally to provide a pair of resilient prongs; means to lock the keys in position, eoinprising notehes in the outer edges of the resilient prongs, teeth projecting down from the heel plate adapted to pass through the slots in. the rib and adapted to engage in said notches; and a slot extending transversely of the rear end of the said rib through which the free ends 10 of the resilient prongs project, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have signed this specification in presence of two witnesses.

RlCl-IARD STEINPACII. Witnesses ANTON v. S'rnu, VIo'ron Kenrn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

